Does it Snow in Las Vegas?

The short answer? Yes.

One of my co-workers (originally from Back East) asked me, “Does it ever really snow in Las Vegas?”

Yes, my Vegas-transplant friends, it does really snow here. However, what people usually mean when they ask that question is: “Does it ever snow in quantities large enough to make a snowman?”  Not often, and even then the snow-people are rather small.

The fact remains, though, that it does snow here, even if you can’t put Frosty in your rocky, postage-stamp sized front yard.

Exhibit A: The Snow of 1974 

That's me, in the backyard of the house I grew up in.

According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun, eight inches fell during this January storm. I didn’t attempt a snowman, but we did have plenty of snowball fights.

A few years later, in 1979, the city was pounded again. Much to the delight of everyone I knew at the time, the schools closed for a snow day. 

Exhibit B: The 2008 Snow

On December 17, 2008, the Strip got about three inches of snow, but the ‘burbs got up to eight inches.

We lived right next to the Peccole Paseo, which offered plenty of wide, open spaces for snow to accumulate, and even a few hills to inspire my son to make a valiant attempt at sledding.

Exhibit C: The Western Snow of 2011

Only one to three inches fell in the western part of the Las Vegas Valley in 2011, so a snowman would have been tough. 

But it was beautiful in pictures.

______________________________

Did you see any snow last week?

Photos by me,Terrisa Meeks